Gen.1-3_Kushner1 Kushner’s interpretation of Genesis 1-3 Craig Ho, HKBU

Gen.1-3_Kushner2 Genesis 1-3, H. Kushner’ s Interpretation 1. Religion teaches us what it means to be human. 2. Gen. 1-3 is about being human, about relation with God, and with the world. 3. First hint: “ Let us make Man in our image. ” Why the plural? 4. Man as both animal-like and God-like. Physical and spiritual.

Gen.1-3_Kushner3 Genesis Consequences (not punishments) after eating the fruit of the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil: a. cannot live forever b. painful experience in bearing and raising children c. have to work to grow food instead of eating off the trees d. sexual tension between men and women

Gen.1-3_Kushner4 Differences between animal and human 6. Not just a story of sin and punishment but about a. the difference about being human and being an animal; b. the key is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. 7. Animals eat from the Tree of Life and life a physical life. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is off limits to them. 8. Animals are programmed with instincts. 9. Humans are between animals and God and were made “ in the image of God ” meaning we can say NO to our instincts. => knowledge of good and evil.

Gen.1-3_Kushner5 The burden of being human 10.The “ punishments ” are not really punishments but painful consequences of being human rather than being animal. a. SEX: “ Animals can mate and reproduce, but only human beings can know love, with all the pain that love sometimes involves ” (p. 76). b. BIRTH: “ Raising and teaching children,... [cannot be done] on instinct alone. We have to make hard choices ” (p. 77) c. WORK: “ Animals can depend on instinct to guide them in their search for good. Only humans in their work have to worry about choosing a career... ” (pp ). d. DEATH: “ Knowing that our time is limited gives values to the things we do.... because we don ’ t have time to do everything ” (p. 78).

Gen.1-3_Kushner6 Being Human 11. Leaving the Garden of Eden is a necessary stage of growing into fully human. 12. After eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Adam and Eve have become SELF-CONSCIOUS => feeling of shame => moral awareness. 13. “ They knew that they would not live forever. But most of all, they would have to spend their lives making choices ” (pp ). => the meaning of being human “ in the image of God ”. 14. Humans now are free. God will not intervene our moral decision.

Gen.1-3_Kushner7 St. Paul’ s Typological Interpretation 1. Romans 5:14 “ Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, …” 2. 1 Cor. 15:21 “ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ” 3. Paul is interpreting Christ using Adam as a type. He is not interpreting Gen. 1-3 as it was understood by the first readers. 4. The Origin of Paul ’ s interpretation: Wisdom 2:23 for God created man for incorruption, and made him in the image of his own eternity, and made him in the image of his own eternity, 2:24 but through the devil's envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his party experience it. and those who belong to his party experience it.